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Mesocosm-Scale Constructed Wetland Design for Wastewater Treatment
Published on: May 2, 2025
Mathematical model for analysis of recirculating vertical flow constructed wetlands
Menachem Y Sklarz1, Amit Gross, M Ines M Soares
1Department of Environmental Hydrology and Microbiology, Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, 84990, Israel.
Water Research
|January 12, 2010
Summary
A recirculating vertical flow constructed wetland (RVFCW) effectively treats domestic wastewater (DWW). A developed model confirms RVFCW stability and performance, showing treatment depends on recirculation rate.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Wastewater Treatment Technologies
- Ecological Engineering
Background:
- Domestic wastewater (DWW) treatment requires efficient and stable systems.
- Recirculating vertical flow constructed wetlands (RVFCWs) offer a promising solution for DWW management.
- Understanding RVFCW performance kinetics is crucial for optimizing treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a compartmental model for simulating RVFCW performance.
- To analyze the transport and removal kinetics of key pollutants in RVFCWs.
- To assess the sensitivity of RVFCW performance to model parameters and operational conditions.
Main Methods:
- Development of a compartmental model for RVFCW simulation.
- Fitting the model to kinetic data from pilot field setups.
- Performing local sensitivity analysis on model parameters and operational conditions.
- Comparing model predictions with experimental effluent quality data.
Main Results:
- The RVFCW system demonstrates stability, with water quality less affected by parameter variations after 5 hours of treatment.
- Effluent quality after 1 hour is sensitive to operational conditions, particularly the recirculation rate.
- Model predictions show good correlation with experimental observations for effluent quality.
Conclusions:
- The developed compartmental model is a satisfactory tool for studying RVFCWs.
- RVFCWs are stable systems capable of effectively treating domestic wastewater.
- Recirculation rate is a key factor influencing the removal efficiency of RVFCWs.
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